


Chess

by EmJ93



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 19:20:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7983202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmJ93/pseuds/EmJ93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trevelyan gets to know her Commander better over a game of chess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chess

They'd been set up in Skyhold for weeks now, and yet she still marveled at just how big it was. Having so much space that was _hers_ was an unfamiliar experience, one that was a little disorientating after a life spent in the Circle under the watchful eyes of the Templars, and Greta had to admit that as mildly terrifying as it was, it was wonderful to be able to do her own thing whenever she felt the desire. Stepping out into the courtyard garden, she took in a deep breath of mountain air, and glanced about. She was thankful to find that the gardens were relatively empty, with only a small handful of Chantry sisters dotted here and there, and a few Inquisition volunteers who were taking advantage of the afternoon sun to grab some late lunch in the form of a picnic. No-one seemed to notice her presence as she dropped onto the nearest empty bench, closing her eyes and drinking in the peace and quiet with a smile. With everything that was going on right now; the looming apocalypse and their recent narrow escape from Haven, she valued these brief moments in which she could relax even more than usual.

Familiar voices caught her attention, and she glanced across the courtyard in their direction, finding Dorian and her Commander in the midst of an animated back and forth, a chess table set up between them. All intentions of an hour or so of peaceful solitude were forgotten, as Greta found herself drawn toward her friends, eyes fixed on the smug smile set across Cullen's face. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen him smile, she contemplated, in all the time she'd known him, but seeing the way it lit up his face, she wished he'd do it more often. 

 "Are you _sassing_ me, Commander?" She heard Dorian ask, as she drew close enough to properly observe the proceedings. 

 Cullen began a retort, but trailed off as he caught sight of her moving towards them. Oh, sweet Maker, was she still staring at him? She tried to avert her gaze, to look at literally anything but his perfect face, as he rose from his seat asking; "Inquisitor?"

 "Leaving are you? Does this mean I win?" Dorian raised an eyebrow, smirk passing across his face as he glanced from Cullen to the chessboard and then back again.

 Her Commander hovered for a moment, eyes still fixed on her, but his jaw tightening as a familiar expression of determination found its way back onto his face. That was the look that led their men in battle, that secured victory against the Inquisition's enemies. As he lowered himself back into his seat, turning the expression toward Dorian, Greta couldn't help but want to giggle over how seriously he was taking a game of chess.

 "Are you two playing nice?" She queried with a smile, coming to a stop beside them. It was good to see her Commander taking the time to do something that didn't constitute work, however seriously he may be taking the activity, and likewise she was pleased to see that Dorian had found someone else that was happy to spend time with him, knowing that many in the Inquisition were still treating him unkindly merely on the basis of his being from Tevinter.

 "I'm _always_ nice." Dorian remarked, with an oh-so-innocent expression in her direction. She gave her friend a grin. Turning his attention back to Cullen, he teased; "You need to come to terms with my inevitable victory. You'll feel much better."

 That smug smile returned to her Commander's face, she noted, and she found her attention once again drawn to the curve of his lips, and the slight twitch of his scar, only barely registering that he had moved a piece on the board, ending the game. "Really?" He queried. "Because I just won, and I feel fine."

 Dorian's eyes widened momentarily as he took in the board, apparently not having anticipated this ending, then he threw up his arms dramatically. "Don't get smug. There'll be no living with you."

 As he made his exit without so much as another word, her friend threw a knowing smile in her direction, and she suddenly became aware that she was still fixated on Cullen's lips, a dreamy expression set across her face. She shook her head, trying to shake whatever had come over her as her Commander looked up in her direction, apparently unaware of her attention. "I don't suppose that you would care for a game?"

 His invitation caught her off guard, and as thoughts of spending time alone with him passed through her head, she found herself responding with an excited; "Yes!" Taking a breath, she added; "Uh, I mean, of course."

If he noticed her awkwardness, and Greta found it difficult to believe that he was so oblivious that he _hadn't_ noticed, he showed no reaction to it, turning his attention to resetting the pieces on the board as she took the seat across from him. "As a child I played this with my sister." He smiled at the memories, and she desperately tried to focus on the movement of his hands as he set each piece back in its place, and not on the way that his eyes shone a deeper shade of amber when he was happy. "She would get this stuck-up grin whenever she won, which was _all the time_. My brother and I practiced together for weeks. The look on her face the day I finally won..." His smile faltered slightly, suddenly thoughtful. "Between serving the Templars and the Inquisition, I haven't seen them in years. I wonder if she still plays?"

 "You have siblings?" Greta queried, eyes finally meeting his with a friendly expression.

 "Two sisters and a brother." Cullen affirmed, moving a piece to begin their game. "They moved to South Reach after the Blight. I don't write them as often as I should."

 "I have a brother, myself. Back in Ostwick." She provided, moving a piece in response and trying to remember the last time she'd played chess. Before the Rebellion, she seemed to recall. She hoped she wasn't too rusty. "I didn't get to see him much growing up, with my being in the Circle. We write, though, whenever we can. It's been harder to find the time since the Breach."

 She looked up from the board to find him smiling in her direction, eyes of molten amber fixed on her face, and felt a slight blush across her cheeks. Catching himself staring, he muttered; "Ah. It's my turn."

 

An hour or so passed, the two of them chatting about their lives and families, and laughing about shared experiences in the Circle as they played. Greta had noticed two things about her Commander during this time, aside from how much she liked hearing him laugh; One, that Cullen was far better at playing chess than she, something which was laughably apparent, and Two, that for some reason he seemed to be holding back, choosing poor moves whenever he was getting close to beating her, almost as if he was intentionally prolonging their game.

 "This may be the longest we've gone without discussing the Inquisition, or related matters." Cullen remarked, fingers hovering over a piece on the board before settling on a different move. "To be honest, I appreciate the distraction."

 He glanced up at her, smile curving across those perfect lips again, and she found herself blurting; "We should spend more time together."

"I would... like that." Cullen responded, eyes softening as they met hers, his smile widening ever a little.

 She grinned like a schoolgirl, all attempts at coherent thought lost in the moment. "Me, too!"

 The Commander paused, chuckling ever so slightly to himself as he took a moment to observe her grin. Gently, he reminded; "You said that."

 Of course she had. She moved a piece absent-mindedly, eyes still fixed intently on his, feeling the heat on her face from her flushed cheeks, and tried to decide whether he was actually leaning in towards her, or if that was just her imagination. Her eyes wandered to his lips again, and she found herself wondering not for the first time what it would feel like to kiss him.

 A few moments passed in silence as the two of them stared at each other, neither able to find the words that they wanted to express. Finally, Cullen remarked; "We should... finish our game, right? My turn?"

 Still struggling to find words, Greta could only nod silently in agreement, wide smile still plastered across her face. She was pretty sure, she decided as she tore her gaze from his to focus again on the board in between them, that this was the best game of chess she'd ever played.


End file.
